In 1966, Pete and Maggie Minor bought 40 acres in the Spring Mountain AVA. The following year, Pete began planting his original Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot vines. Other grapes followed over the years including Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Viognier, and Blaufrankisch (an Austrian varietal).

In 1974, the Minors built a winery on their property and Ritchie Creek Vineyard was born. Ritchie Creek is a small watershed in the Spring Mountain region that runs to the Napa River on the valley floor.

At 2,000 feet above sea level, the vineyard is one of the most elevated in the Napa Valley. It has a northern aspect and is quite windy, making it quite cool by Spring Mountain standards. The mountain soils are very thin and unfertile, producing only 2 to 3 tons of grapes per acre.

Ritchie Creek’s Cabernet Sauvignon has a bit of Merlot blended into it for a lusher mouthfeel and overall balance. Because of the vineyard’s cool location, the fruit in this wine is quite restrained. It is one of the region’s more age-worthy wines.